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The dreaded positive test result

Curtis Kari

By Curtis Kari
in Royal Caribbean Discussion

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Taraks Travels Diamond

Taraks Travels

Posted
Posted

That stinks and is my worry right now for our departure next Friday 1/31.  I officiate HS Basketball and have been in so many different gyms over the last month.  I have tested at home 2x in the past week and been negative so hopefully it stays that way.  My Wife works in the dental field so there's concern it could happen with her too.

Fingers crossed and hope you get something rescheduled for down the road.

FionaMG Pinnacle

FionaMG

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, Pattycruise said:

I think I am going to try and get exposed in between my cruises so I can "get this over with".....I'm so tired of the worry of missing my cruises.

I'm not sure if you really mean this but I can actually understand the sentiment behind it. I was a complete wreck in the run up to my Harmony cruise last September and it completely ruined all of the usual pre-cruise anticipation and excitement. It wasn't until the second day on board that I was finally able to feel relaxed and enjoy the cruise.

I reckon that pretty much everyone is going to get covid sooner or later going forward and Murphy's law inevitably means that, like in the OP's case, it will happen at the most inconvenient time.

VACruiser Diamond Plus

VACruiser

Posted
Posted

I am getting over Covid, probably the Omicron variant, and it has been about what has been said by others- mild cold symptoms, joint pain, and fatigue; but, was over after five days. On the 5th day it was like a switch was flipped in my body and it said, ok, you're done Omicron move along and I no longer had any symptoms.

My wife has had Covid, the Delta version, and that looked like something I didn't want, bad-bad cough and she still has some of it three months later. Interesting enough, I never got that variant and we are just two people living in the house alone. I was pleasantly shocked I didn't get it. @Curtis Kari I hope your wife gets the easy variant and gets better soon. 

Dad2Cue Diamond Plus

Dad2Cue

Posted
Posted
16 hours ago, Curtis Kari said:

My wife just tested positive and our hopes of a Jan 22nd cruise on the Allure are dashed. Hoping to get rebooked for a future date.

Same thing happened to my wife last month.  We were within 14 days of a January 9th cruise on Jewel OTS which was the first of a B2B on Jewel.  The second part of the B2B wasn't within 14 days of her testing positive for covid.  We cancelled the first cruise and weren't sure what to do about the second cruise.  Royal decided for us and both of the B2B cruises on Jewel were cancelled.   

Since we cancelled the first cruise because of testing positive, we requested a refund.  That seems like yesterday but you have to love Royal because a full refund just popped back onto our credit card today!

We are now in Florida two weeks early for another cruise on Odyssey.  My wife's last PCR test about 3 weeks ago was still positive.  We decided to go to Florida anyway to enjoy some warmer weather compared to Iowa.  We are waiting to do a rapid test before the cruise next week.  We aren't sure what the result will be but neither one of us have any symptoms.  I tested 3 times and never did test positive.

Natalfaz Emerald

Natalfaz

Posted
Posted
15 minutes ago, Dad2Cue said:

Same thing happened to my wife last month.  We were within 14 days of a January 9th cruise on Jewel OTS which was the first of a B2B on Jewel.  The second part of the B2B wasn't within 14 days of her testing positive for covid.  We cancelled the first cruise and weren't sure what to do about the second cruise.  Royal decided for us and both of the B2B cruises on Jewel were cancelled.   

Since we cancelled the first cruise because of testing positive, we requested a refund.  That seems like yesterday but you have to love Royal because a full refund just popped back onto our credit card today!

We are now in Florida two weeks early for another cruise on Odyssey.  My wife's last PCR test about 3 weeks ago was still positive.  We decided to go to Florida anyway to enjoy some warmer weather compared to Iowa.  We are waiting to do a rapid test before the cruise next week.  We aren't sure what the result will be but neither one of us have any symptoms.  I never did test positive.

A rapid test will 100% be negative 

Va4fam Pinnacle

Va4fam

Posted
Posted

We also feel your pain.....my wife and son tested positive last week.   We had hesitations about our Anthem cruise this week but the COVID result basically made the decision for us.  Right now it's 15 degrees in Virginia and hard to think about all of the "St. Somewhere's" we are missing out for the next 11 days.

Hope everyone is well and you get to go on another cruise soon.

 

 

 

 

CruisingNewb Pinnacle

CruisingNewb

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Natalfaz said:

A rapid test will 100% be negative 

Just curious:

Is suggesting a rapid test for the purposes of a work around in order to board?

OR

Is the suggestion because PCR testing still picks up traces of the virus from the past?

Reason I ask is because if the OP, or anyone else, has Omicron or any other variant, and uses an unreliable test just to get on the ship, wouldn't that person potentially expose lots of other people?

On the other hand, may family had Covid last summer and I don't want the PCR test to show positive results if we are not carrying active virus.

We have a cruise in June and are trying to do the most responsible and appropriate thing.

To the OP, I am sorry your wife tested positive.  I hope that she gets over it with little to no complications.  Prayers and thoughts sent your way.

Dad2Cue Diamond Plus

Dad2Cue

Posted
Posted
On 1/21/2022 at 10:47 AM, CruisingNewb said:

Just curious:

Is suggesting a rapid test for the purposes of a work around in order to board?

OR

Is the suggestion because PCR testing still picks up traces of the virus from the past?

 

That's a good question.  For us, it isn't a work around just to get on a cruise ship.  We actually don't care anymore whether we go on the cruise or not other than to get what we paid for.  My wife doesn't believe she is still contagious.  I can't believe that I didn't have covid because I was as symptomatic as my wife but tested negative. 

From what I have read and heard about PCR tests, they can detect "dead virus" for months after being infected.  We were advised not to do a PCR test before a cruise for a few months because of that. It isn't like we are trying to game the system.  I think the CDC is clueless too when they changed the isolation time from 10 days to 5 days.  Everything just seems so arbitrary (and political) ... we don't know what to believe or what to do!

sammy79 Diamond

sammy79

Posted
Posted

@Mattdo you know what the pcr test policy is for the unvaccinated kids?  My 3 year old just tested positive on a home test. Fever and cough. We have a March cruise scheduled and I’m concerned about him testing positive on the pcr test. Thanks. 

smokeybandit Pinnacle

smokeybandit

Posted
Posted
13 minutes ago, sammy79 said:

@Mattdo you know what the pcr test policy is for the unvaccinated kids?  My 3 year old just tested positive on a home test. Fever and cough. We have a March cruise scheduled and I’m concerned about him testing positive on the pcr test. Thanks. 

I'd go get a PCR test (that test for multiple viruses at once) in the mean time. A lot of kids that young have symptoms from something else (like the flu or RSV) but additionally test positive for covid.

 

 

Natalfaz Emerald

Natalfaz

Posted
Posted
On 1/21/2022 at 4:47 PM, CruisingNewb said:

Just curious:

Is suggesting a rapid test for the purposes of a work around in order to board?

OR

Is the suggestion because PCR testing still picks up traces of the virus from the past?

Reason I ask is because if the OP, or anyone else, has Omicron or any other variant, and uses an unreliable test just to get on the ship, wouldn't that person potentially expose lots of other people?

On the other hand, may family had Covid last summer and I don't want the PCR test to show positive results if we are not carrying active virus.

We have a cruise in June and are trying to do the most responsible and appropriate thing.

To the OP, I am sorry your wife tested positive.  I hope that she gets over it with little to no complications.  Prayers and thoughts sent your way.

Its because antigen tests are valid tests to go on board, if you test negative then your ok to go, PCR test test positive for weeks or even sometimes months... But you are not contagious. 

This is why is suggest the antigen test to OP if its negative then they shouldn't be any exposure to anybody. 

 

 

Pattycruise Pinnacle

Pattycruise

Posted
Posted
On 1/21/2022 at 3:34 AM, FionaMG said:

I'm not sure if you really mean this but I can actually understand the sentiment behind it. I was a complete wreck in the run up to my Harmony cruise last September and it completely ruined all of the usual pre-cruise anticipation and excitement. It wasn't until the second day on board that I was finally able to feel relaxed and enjoy the cruise.

I reckon that pretty much everyone is going to get covid sooner or later going forward and Murphy's law inevitably means that, like in the OP's case, it will happen at the most inconvenient time.

Yes, thank you for understanding the sentiment behind it.  "Murphy" could be my middle name.

JeffB Pinnacle

JeffB

Posted
Posted

Testing for COVID has  devolved into a mess for lay-people mostly because of the confusing nomenclature that has been foisted on us by "experts." As I've posted previously on this subject, molecular tests  -  I use that term because it suborns a large number of them - include: Real-time reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (rRT-qPCR) or PCR for short, Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA), CRISPR-based diagnostics. PCR testing has become a short hand for all these types of molecular testing. It's confusing. The term "home tests" has also confused the issue. You can do home tests with both molecular and antigen testing kits the former being more expensive (upwards of $90) and less numerous/available than the later ($19-$30).

Molecular tests detect genetic material – the RNA – of the coronavirus and are sensitive enough to need only a very small amount of it for you to pop a positive. There are not a lot of these tests available for home use, more for clinic and lab based use and authorized by the FDA under EUA. Under what circumstance you should use these tests is extremely important. Availability, costs, time to travel to take one of these tests and the time to get results are also important considerations for us cruisers. Generally, you'll pop a positive on one of these tests sooner- much sooner - in the course of a COVID infection as well as much later - the dreaded, "I tested positive by PCR for 3 months after I tested negative by a Rapid Antigen test".....now what? Am I still contagious? Not likely and I'll get to that.

Antigen tests detect specific proteins on the surface of the coronavirus. There are dozens of these home and clinic/lab based antigen tests approved by the FDA under EUA and readily available. Subject to distribution issues we've all experienced. Here’s a good way to look at the difference between antigen and molecular tests: The coronavirus replicates itself by putting its genetic material inside our cells. If you’re testing that person by the commonly used and available rapid antigen test at the point where the virus is still replicating inside the cells, large enough amounts of those proteins that rapid antigen tests are looking for in test samples (saliva, swabs) aren't there yet. Hence the CDC recommendation is to wait a few days (3-5 or 5-7 depending on your source) to test after a known exposure or symptom development. That's not the case with molecular tests that detect very small amounts of RNA to pop a positive often within hours (usually 12-48) after exposure. 

PCR testing is considered the gold diagnostic standard. It is definitely not the best sampling or screening test for a lot of very good reasons. Rapid antigen testing is better for both sampling and screening circumstances, i.e, for cruising. I question the cruise line's use of molecular testing (e.g., PCR and others I mentioned above) for select cohorts. That's because the chance of popping positive on one of those well before and after you're contagious is high. Why are they doing this then? I can make an argument that they shouldn't and it will be countered by the "abundance of caution" argument as misplaced as I think that it is.

I'd avoid using a molecular (PCR) test to clear COVID boarding protocols if you don't have to. YMMV. if you are concerned about spreading the virus aboard ship after clearing boarding protocols, packing extra Rapid AG tests to do serial antigen testing, to include the first one you take to clear COVID boarding protocols and then administering two other unmonitored home tests on days 3 and 5 from your travel day is an alternative.

The bottom line for me, and you can take it for what it's worth, is that a negative Rapid Antigen test (home - unmonitored, home - monitored, at a clinic- monitored) in the current Omicron environment, done serially X2 and on day 5 and day 7 from exposure (potential or known, symptomatic or asymptomatic) will yield a suitably useful result to determine when you are and are not sufficiently burdened with the virus to be contagious. I'd offer one caveat: It has been demonstrated that antigen tests in an Omicron environment can sometimes pop a positive up through day 9. As well, if you test sequentially more than the two times the CDC recommends, the pink infection line compared to the control line will show gradations of intensity - the more intense the infection line is compared to the control line, the more infectious you may be.

Well, darn cruise lines are telling us now we have to test within 48h of boarding, 72h for a PCR. What if you get exposed the day before you board and remain asymptomatic - a very good chance you will - through the boarding process then, on day 3-5 of your cruise, start spreading it around the ship? My position on this, which is likely to be the cruise line's as well, is that multi-tiered mitigation measures will prevent outbreaks and we can live with that - hence, the new indoor mask mandates. Makes sense. To repeat what I mentioned above, I'd offer if your worried about spreading the virus aboard ship, pack a few home tests for your traveling party and once aboard, test again on days 3 and 5 from your travel days. 

nhilding10 Diamond

nhilding10

Posted
Posted
On 1/20/2022 at 3:38 PM, Curtis Kari said:

My wife just tested positive and our hopes of a Jan 22nd cruise on the Allure are dashed. Hoping to get rebooked for a future date.

Ugh so sorry to hear this. It's the worst isn't it!? I'm supposed to be boarding Harmony right now but alas the dreaded positive has kept me and my family at home today instead too! Here's to quick recoveries for everyone and speedy rebookings!

Matt Pinnacle

Matt

Posted
Posted
23 hours ago, sammy79 said:

@Mattdo you know what the pcr test policy is for the unvaccinated kids?  My 3 year old just tested positive on a home test. Fever and cough. We have a March cruise scheduled and I’m concerned about him testing positive on the pcr test. Thanks. 

Unvaccinated kids have to get a PCR test only for their pre-cruise requirement.

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